🚘 Headlines About California Highways – June 2026

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve reached the half-way point of 2026, and the one-year point since I retired. This highway stuff has been keeping me busy, combined with my work on ACSAC.

Turning to the California Highways: Route by Route podcast: Tom and I have one more episode to record for the formal part of Season 4, plus some bonus episodes that we have planned. I’ll be starting the writing of Season 5 in the next week or so. Zencaster is working well for recording the podcast, although it was my turn for microphone trouble in the last episode. Hopefully, we’ll have that worked out in Ep 4.13. As a reminder: You can help our listening audience grow. Please tell your friends about the podcast, “like”, “♥”, or “favorite” it, and give it a rating in your favorite podcatcher. Share the podcast on Facebook groups, and in your Bluesky and Mastodon communities. For those that hear the early episodes, the sound quality of the episodes does get better — we were learning. If you know sound editing, feel free to give me advice (I use Audacity to edit). As always, you can keep up with the show at the podcast’s forever home at https://www.caroutebyroute.org , the show’s page on Spotify for Creators, or you can subscribe through your favorite podcatching app or via the RSS feeds (CARxR, Spotify for Creators) . The following episode has been posted this month:

• June | CA RxR 4.12: Route 14, Route 64, LRN 290: The Valley Freeways that Never Happened. Episode 4.12 starts our exploration of the last route of this season: Route 14. Segment (a) of Route 14 is the unbuilt “Reseda to the Sea” freeway, so we take this opportunity to discuss the unbuilt freeways of the San Fernando Valley: the Reseda Freeway (Route 14), the Whitnall Freeway (Route 64), the Laurel Canyon Freeway (Route 170), and the freeway plans for Sunland Tujunga, the Angeles National Forest (Route 118, Route 122, Route 249), and the plan for the Mulholland Expressway (Route 268). We also discuss LRN 14 (part of US 40) and Sign Route 14 (which became Route 91). We’ll discuss the built portion of Route 14 between I-5 and US 395 in the last official season 4 episode. With respect to Tom’s sound quality: It’s better. Daniel’s mic has an occasional “pop” or “thump” problems; we’ll hopefully fix that in Ep 4.13. We’re also working to line up 2-3 bonus episodes during the season break. (Spotify for Creators)

As a reminder: One of the sources for the highway page updates (and the raison d’etre for for this post) are headlines about California Highways that I’ve seen over the last month. I collect them in this post, which serves as fodder for the updates to my California Highways site, and so there are also other pages and things I’ve seen that I wanted to remember for the site updates. Lastly, the post also includes some things that I think would be of peripheral interest to my highway-obsessed highway-interested readers.

Well, you should now be up to date. Here are the headlines that I found about California’s highways for June 2026:

Key

[Ħ Historical information | ＄ Paywalls, ＄＄ really obnoxious paywalls, and ∅ other annoying restrictions. I’m no longer going to list the paper names, as I’m including them in the headlines now. Note: For ＄ paywalls, sometimes the only way is incognito mode, grabbing the text before the paywall shows, and pasting into an editor. See this article for more tips on bypassing paywalls. ＄＄ paywalls require the use of archive.ph. ☊ indicates an primarily audio article. 🎥 indicates a primarily video article. 🎩 indicates hat/tip to someone for finding this article. ✔ indicates that the article was processed as part of the recent “Updates to California Highways” cycle. ]

Highway Headlines

• ✔ A decades-old truck ban on I-580 could end. Oakland residents are upset (Oaklandside). The old basketball half-court and theater at the Francophone Charter School of Oakland, off Fruitvale Avenue, with its sunny, backlit windows and yellow, eggshell-colored wooden wall trim, would seem to be the perfect setting for a calm, positive community gathering. But over the last two weekends, when close to 200 people gathered there to meet staff from Caltrans, the state transportation agency, and the state Air Resources Board, they brought a very different energy to the setting. Many scowled, some yelled, and almost everybody seemed to buzz with frustration over an agency study assessing the possibility of allowing big rigs onto Interstate 580.
• ✔ Long-planned upgrades to Highway 29 in American Canyon await $50M in funding (Local News Matters). Napa Valley Transportation Authority officials have heard feedback from around 40 American Canyon residents this week on planned pedestrian and bike-friendly upgrades to the 1.5-mile strip of state Highway 29 that runs through the city. The plan, dubbed the American Canyon Corridor Improvement Project, is aimed at improving aesthetics and safety for city dwellers and visitors. The project has been developed through a series of community meetings that started in 2022.
• ＄✔ Officials say Highway 1 congestion will get better: Caltrans engineers on-site after city, county complaints that paving project caused major traffic backup (San Mateo Daily Journal). Following serious coastal traffic backup along Highway 1 — caused by a Caltrans paving project and an increase in summer visitors along the road — officials say they’re hopeful they’ve reached a resolution with the state transportation agency to mitigate traffic issues as construction continues. The loop sensors at several Highway 1 intersections, including Coronado Street and Ruisseau Francais Avenue, were removed and stoplights were put on manual timing as paving work occurred, Half Moon Bay City Manager Matthew Chidester said.
• ＄✔ Marin agency advances Highway 101 interchange projects (Marin I-J). The Transportation Authority of Marin has approved a plan to modernize three Highway 101 interchanges. The agency board voted Thursday to advance the projects to environmental review, a process that will take about three years and cost about $12 million. The interchanges are at Alameda del Prado and Nave Drive in Novato; Manuel T. Freitas Parkway in San Rafael; and East Blithedale Avenue and Tiburon Boulevard in Mill Valley. The vote came after transportation planners held a series of workshops with local representatives to reduce the number of proposed alternatives for each interchange to cut study costs.
• ✔ Deer Used California’s First Wildlife Overcrossing Just 15 Hours After Construction Crews Left (Active NorCal). Deer became the first wildlife to successfully cross a roadway using the newly constructed overpass on U.S. 97 in Siskiyou County, stepping onto the structure just 15 hours after construction crews wrapped up work for the day. A bobcat and other wildlife have also been spotted using it, even with workers still in the area finishing final touches. The overcrossing was designed to give animals a safe way to cross the highway while reducing the wildlife-vehicle collisions that have been a persistent problem along the corridor. Highway 97 runs through some of the most wildlife-rich terrain in Northern California, connecting the Klamath Basin to the Mount Shasta region through open rangeland and forest where deer, elk, bears, bobcats and mountain lions regularly cross the road.
• ✔ Ventura Boulevard Named Most Passive-Aggressive Road in U.S. (KFI AM 640). Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles has been named the “Most Passive-Aggressive Road” in the United States. According to a survey conducted by trucking support company American River Wellness in May 2026, the road was identified as a hotspot for passive-aggressive driving behaviors. These include tailgating, blocking merges, brake-checking, and excessive honking. The survey, which involved thousands of motorists, highlighted small acts of discourtesy that contribute to driver tension and irritation. Ventura Boulevard is notorious for heavy traffic due to drivers frequently entering and exiting local businesses, leading to congestion. Drivers often block exits and avoid eye contact, contributing to a lack of courtesy on the road. The study described this behavior as “hyper-local irritation,” where every left turn feels personal, and drivers are reluctant to yield gaps after enduring long traffic waits.
• ✔ Route 33 Pavement Rehabilitation Project (FB/Caltrans District 6). The Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with Cal Valley Construction, announces the following schedule update in part of the State Route 33 Pavement Rehabilitation Project in the City of Coalinga. The following will occur the nights of Sunday, June 7th and Monday, June 8th, each night, from 9:00pm to 6:00am:

• ＄✔ American Canyon orders comprehensive report on Measure M (Napa Valley Register). The American Canyon City Council unanimously voted to seek  more information on Measure M, a developer-backed initiative that has reignited a long-running debate over whether the city’s road network has kept pace with its rapid growth. The council on June 2 directed staff to prepare a report analyzing the measure’s fiscal and environmental impacts before deciding whether to adopt it outright or place it before voters. “Being informed is important, and part of that is being able to have the truthful and factual information before you make a decision,” Mayor Pierre Washington said.
• ✔ Caltrans awards $23.6M to 58 projects statewide (Transportation Today). The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) recently awarded 58 projects statewide $23.6 million in grants. The projects focus on multimodal transportation and help improve mobility options for under-resourced communities. Nine projects were awarded $3.2 million in federally funded Strategic Partnerships Grants to plan for long-term multimodal transportation needs.
• ✔ I Hope This Helps 👍🏽: Zoning Edition (Planetizen Blogs). Editor’s note: our beloved transit columnist, Joshua Woods, is very good at explaining things. Usually, he explains transit. But successful transit needs supportive land use that puts a lot of people doing a lot of things near transit. And supportive land use requires walkability, bikeability and high quality transit so everybody’s not sitting in traffic. So today he’s explaining zoning in a little series he likes to call I Hope This Helps 👍🏽. We highly recommend enjoying his series explaining transit planning and transit scheduling, the 101 crash course editions, too.
• ✔ CA Forever (Route 12) Update (FB/NebPod). …y’all will need to double click on this graphic to see all of it…and see just how CA ForNever is gonna get us all to pay for the changes needed on SH 12…and THIS is just the beginning!!!
• ＄✔ Route 66 still beckons at 100 as a caravan takes off from Santa Monica (Los Angeles Times). Around 7 a.m. Saturday, in a lot beside the shuttered Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, a strange set of cars and trucks began to gather. Three Model A’s. A couple of ’60 convertibles. A 1964 Chevrolet Impala station wagon. Also, a big bull on trailer wheels. “Am I in the right place?” asked a man in one of the Model A’s. “Going to Chicago?” asked a guy in a white Denali. “I wish I could do the whole thing,” said Joe Hernandez of Pasadena, wistfully standing by.
• ✔ Public Notice: Solano State Route 12 Pavement Preservation Project (Caltrans). Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Notice of Availability of an Initial Study with Proposed Negative Declaration and Notice of Opportunity for a Public Meeting for the Solano State Route 12 Pavement Preservation Project
• ✔ I-5 south of Redding faces weekend delays in June as Cottonwood Creek Bridge work begins (KRCR ABC 7). Caltrans is urging drivers traveling on Interstate 5 this month to expect weekend delays due to bridge work at the Cottonwood Creek Bridge, about 15 miles south of Redding. Long-term lane closures, tentatively scheduled from 10 p.m. Fridays to 6 a.m. Sundays are expected to cause significant delays and lengthy traffic backups during daytime work on select Saturdays. The bridgework is spaced out over the course of the month. Caltrans says the northbound No. 1 lane is scheduled to be closed during the weekend of June 5-7.
• ＄✔ 405 Freeway Will Fully Shut Down This Weekend (Los Angeles, CA Patch). Traffic will be impacted on the 405 Freeway and nearby roads this weekend when construction will shut down several lanes and ramps of the interstate in the San Fernando Valley beginning Friday. During some of that time, one side of the freeway will be completely shut down to all traffic.
• ✔ California’s first smart freeway begins operation on I-15 in Temecula (MSN/CBS News LA). California’s first “smart freeway” begins operation this Monday on the 15 Freeway corridor running through Temecula, aiming to ease the traffic congestion heading into Murrieta. The $33 million project, which has been dubbed the “Smart Freeway Pilot Project,” will operate for a two-year period to improve traffic conditions on northbound I-15 from the San Diego/Riverside County line in Temecula to the 15/215 Freeway interchange in Murrieta. The project will deploy ramp meters at the Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road and Winchester ramps during peak hours to improve freeway travel times through a coordinated system that adjusts in real time.
• ✔ El Camino Real Projects (Carlsbad, CA). The City of Carlsbad is working on several projects along El Camino Real to improve traffic flow and provide additional safety enhancements for everyone driving, biking or walking. According to the city’s General Plan Mobility Element, El Camino Real is an arterial street, where the priority is on moving a large number of vehicles and traffic signals are coordinated for better traffic flow. The project to widen northbound El Camino Real between College Avenue and Jackspar/Rancho Carlsbad drives was completed in June 2026.
• ＄✔ With Highway 1 open, Big Sur braces for its busiest summer in years (Los Angeles Times). On a 75-mile cliff-hugging stretch of highway in California, traffic is way up, despite soaring gas prices. And locals expect the busiest summer in years. The road is Highway 1 in Big Sur, which reopened in January after three years of repair and reconstruction following a pair of landslides. Drivers can once again embark on the state’s most famous road trip, covering the 100 miles between Cambria to the south and Carmel to the north without leaving the two-lane coastal highway. And they’re heading out in big numbers. Caltrans estimates that as of May, Big Sur restaurant and retailer guest counts are up 40% from last year, and that northbound traffic at Ragged Point, the southern gateway to Big Sur, has risen 900% year-over-year.
• Ħ✔ Fraud Alleges in Battle for State Highway (FB/Ridge Route Preservation Organization). Battle of the routes – The Tehachapi Compromise Route VS Castaic-Tejon Ridge Route (Part 1) “Fraud Alleges in Battle for State Highway” reads a headline from April 3rd, 1913. A great debate had been under way over the path of Californian’s future superhighway. The Castaic-Tejon “Ridge Route” vs the Tehachapi “Compromise Route”. Both mountain passes, both rough logistically but an absolute necessity for the continuation of the state.
• ✔ Suicide barriers being added to San Diego-Coronado Bridge (California Post). A towering suicide-prevention is set to rise along San Diego’s famed Coronado Bridge after state coastal regulators signaled support for a $140 million project aimed at stopping one of the nation’s deadliest suicide hotspots. The Coronado Bridge has been the site of about 400 documented suicide deaths since opening in 1969, according to project documents. That grim record has made it the second most frequently used bridge for suicide in the country, after the Golden Gate Bridge.
• ✔ Highway 101 lanes in Central Coast wine country close for the year (SF Gate). Lanes on a stretch of Highway 101 through a popular destination on the Central Coast are closing until next spring as Caltrans reconstructs a near-4-mile section of the weathered roadway. The agency is reducing the four-lane highway to one open lane in each direction through the small town of Buellton, once home to the historic roadside eatery Pea Soup Andersen’s and still the popular gateway town to the increasingly popular Santa Ynez Valley.
• ＄✔ Major roadwork begins on HWY 41 in Madera County (Fresno Bee). Construction has begun on a major project that will widen and improve Highway 41 in Madera County — a corridor with a growing population and a major route for millions of Yosemite National Park visitors each year. At a cost of $130 million, the Highway 41 Expressway Project is the “largest transportation improvement project” in the county’s history, according to a Tuesday news release from the county. It will span more than four miles between Avenue 10 1/2 and Avenue 15. The entire stretch will have four lanes when the project is finished. There will also be a new southbound bridge built over Avenue 11. New turn lanes will be added at Avenues 12 and 15, where traffic signals will be improved and modified.
• ✔ Officials: $33M pilot program is cheaper than widening Calif. freeway (SF Gate). Instead of spending millions of dollars to widen a congested freeway, the Riverside County Transportation Commission has opted to spend a fraction of that on a pilot project to make traffic on the road flow more smoothly. On June 1, the commission launched its “smart freeway” on 8 miles of the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 in Temecula. On-ramp meters at Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road and Winchester Road are now managed by an algorithm that helps control the flow of cars onto the roadway and offers a suggested speed.
• ✔ Study finds Highway 101 widening made Marin-Sonoma Narrows significantly hotter (Local News Matters). Some guy at the end of the bar swears it’s gotten hotter out by the Narrows since they widened U.S. Highway 101. Normally you let that kind of thing slide, somewhere between the fish that got away and the cousin who almost went pro. Not this time. He’s right. He’s talking about the Marin-Sonoma Narrows — the long-bottlenecked run of Highway 101 that Caltrans spent more than a decade widening through central Sonoma County. The ground within a half mile of the new lanes ran almost 4 degrees hotter the year after Caltrans finished the first stretch — the biggest jump of any of 11 Northern California freeway projects that researchers at UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State and Northeastern University checked by satellite.
• ✔ City seeks $40M for 73rd Avenue redesign (Oaklandside). Two years after the city asked residents to chime in on possible redesigns of 73rd Avenue, Oakland Department of Transportation staff have provided an update on the project, telling a local advisory committee that the design is nearly complete and that the department is requesting $40 million in state funds to complete it. Data shows that 73rd Avenue is one of the most dangerous roads in Oakland.
• ＄✔ San Rafael traffic roundabout opens (Marin I-J). A traffic roundabout at a busy San Rafael intersection next to Highway 101 has opened, but there are still some restrictions as construction continues around the site. The $11.5 million project, which also involves a new bus stop and northbound highway onramp, is at the intersection of Manuel T. Freitas Parkway at Civic Center Drive and Redwood Highway on the east side of the highway. Crews are finishing drainage, paving and other work in the project area. During the work, vehicles will not be able to make a left turn into the roundabout from Freitas Parkway. The roundabout, which opened on Monday, is expected to be completed in mid-June.
• ✔ Proposed parking ban on California’s Bixby Bridge takes step forward (CBS San Francisco). Officials on California’s Central Coast have moved closer to implementing a temporary parking ban on the iconic Bixby Bridge over safety concerns. On Tuesday, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved the first reading of a draft ordinance that bans parking on Highway 1 about 900 feet north of the bridge and 700 feet south of the bridge. The ban would be in effect for 12 months. Supporters of the proposal said a ban was needed to address the rising number of visitors who stop on the side of the roadway to take photos of the bridge, creating a hazard. The historic bridge, which opened in 1932, has become known for its stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the cliffs of Big Sur.
• ＄✔ The magic and mayhem of a fully reopened Highway 1 through Big Sur (Los Angeles Times). Let’s take a brief break from politics — yes, we are allowed! — and talk about a quintessential Califonia roadtrip. OK, so gas prices are high, especially here in the Golden State, where we were paying an average of $5.84 a gallon as of Wednesday. But the weather is warm and the road is calling. This is the first summer in three years during which Highway 1 through Big Sur — a cliff-hugging, two-lane roadway with spectacular ocean views — is completely open after extended closures because of landslides and rockfalls.
• ✔ California’s first “smart freeway” begins operation on I-15 in Temecula (CBS Los Angeles). California’s first “smart freeway” begins operation this Monday on the 15 Freeway corridor running through Temecula, aiming to ease the traffic congestion heading into Murrieta. The $33 million project, which has been dubbed the “Smart Freeway Pilot Project,” will operate for a two-year period to improve traffic conditions on northbound I-15 from the San Diego/Riverside County line in Temecula to the 15/215 Freeway interchange in Murrieta. The project will deploy ramp meters at the Temecula Parkway, Rancho California Road and Winchester ramps during peak hours to improve freeway travel times through a coordinated system that adjusts in real time.
• ✔ “Smart Freeways” Use the Same Dumb Approach (Streetsblog California). A new pilot project is now underway along an eight-mile stretch of northbound Interstate 15 (I-15) between Temecula and Murrieta in Riverside County. Described by backers as a “smart freeway,” the $33 million project aims to ease congestion through real-time traffic management, using sensors, ramp meters, and coordinated system controls along the corridor. At a high level, the project has a clear purpose and need and it largely achieves it. This segment of freeway is now equipped with advanced monitoring systems that collect data on speeds, volumes, and travel times. That data feeds into ramp meters that regulate how many vehicles can enter the freeway at a given time, while digital message signs display recommended speeds to smooth traffic flow. According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the goal is straightforward: reduce stop-and-go conditions, improve safety, and make travel times more reliable along one of the Inland Empire’s most congested corridors.
• ✔ I-5/SR 78 Interchange Improvements Project (FB/Caltrans District 11). Reminder: The 45-day public comment period for the I-5/SR 78 Interchange Improvements Project will close today, Saturday, June 13, 2026. Share your comments to help guide the Draft Environmental Impact Report. Comments may be submitted online, by email, phone, or mail.
• ✔ The Race to Reinvent Climate-Threatened State Route 37 (KneeDeep Times / 🎩 relaxok). Many, many years and billions of dollars in the future, a 21-mile, four-lane causeway will skim above hundreds of acres of restored wetlands at the Bay’s northern edge, replacing traffic-clogged, often water-logged, State Route 37. This spring, despite last minute funding challenges that threatened to derail a key component, the first glimpses of that vision began coming into focus. In April, Caltrans will complete the first construction project related to the ultimate alignment of the new SR 37, a diverging diamond interchange at the eastern end of the highway in Vallejo.
• ✔ California’s Highway 101 is shutting down lanes along a 10-mile stretch until 2027 amid a $29.8M overhaul — here’s exactly where (Secret Los Angeles). California drivers are getting used to a year filled with major transportation projects, road upgrades, and infrastructure improvements. Now, another significant project is set to impact one of the state’s busiest routes, bringing months of lane closures and traffic delays to a popular gateway for wine country visitors. Motorists traveling on Highway 101 along the Central Coast through Buellton should expect a slower commute, as Caltrans has begun a major roadway reconstruction project that will reduce the freeway to a single lane in each direction through the Santa Barbara County community until spring 2027.
• ✔ Construction Update for Gold Country Corridor Along State Routes 20 and 49 (YubaNet). Caltrans is reminding motorists of various lane closures in multiple locations along State Route 49 (SR 49) and State Route 20 (SR 20) as several projects continue in Placer and Nevada counties.
• ✔ Should Fresno highways have toll, carpool, truck-only lanes? See recommendations (Yahoo/Fresno Bee/🎩 Tom Fearer ). The best way to manage the growing traffic problem on Fresno-Clovis area’s urban highway system might be to add toll lanes — though it will not happen fast or on a cheap budget. A new study presented Friday to the Fresno Council of Governments, the region’s transportation planning agency, found congestion has ramped up since the COVID pandemic. The study focused on highways 41, 180 and 168 and ranked the traffic-managing potential of various lane additions and conversions. Adding an extra lane for drivers willing to pay a toll was the highest-ranking option on each highway.
• ✔ L.A.’s iconic Vincent Thomas Bridge is gearing up for a full 16-month closure until 2028 amid a $752.8M overhaul — here’s exactly when (Secret Los Angeles). The city is in the middle of a transformation, from the long-awaited wildlife crossing over the 101 Freeway to new Metro extensions and rapid bus corridors. But with every improvement comes a temporary headache, and one of SoCal’s most important bridges is about to become the latest source of disruption. The iconic Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro (L.A.’s only suspension bridge) is officially gearing up for a full closure, with Caltrans beginning a series of overnight shutdowns this weekend as crews prepare for a massive deck replacement project scheduled to begin in late 2026.
• ✔ Albion River Bridge Project (Caltrans). The Albion River Bridge on State Route 1, about 15 miles south of Fort Bragg, has served the North Coast since 1944. Today, the bridge is aging and structurally deficient. For safety and long-term reliability, Caltrans has chosen a new bridge design (Alternative 2B) to replace the aging wooden truss bridge.
• ✔ South of Salinas Project Engagement Portal (FB/Caltrans District 5). Caltrans is excited to share that our new Engagement Portal for the two South of Salinas Projects is now live!
  This will be your go‑to spot for project updates, public input, meeting info, and everything happening as we move toward construction.
• ＄✔ Bridge replacement proposed near Point Reyes Station (Marin I-J). Marin County planners are seeking public comments on a proposed bridge replacement project near Point Reyes Station. The 96-year-old structure crosses Olema Creek at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard between Highway 1 and Inverness Park. The structure is outdated, said Robin Bartlett, assistant director at the Marin County Department of Public Works. “Its age, condition and small size mean it no longer meets today’s design expectations for storm flow and roadway geometry,” he said. Bartlett said the $3 million project qualified for a federal highway bridge program that can fund up to 88% of eligible costs.
• ✔ California won’t consider LA’s request for extra time on $100M in street improvement projects (LAist). California will not consider the city of Los Angeles’ request for a time extension on three mobility projects in underinvested communities that are largely funded by more than $100 million from the state. The exclusion of the request from the California Transportation Commission’s June agenda spells an uncertain fate for the projects in Boyle Heights, Skid Row and Wilmington, which involve repairing sidewalks, adding bike lanes and installing traffic-calming measures to make streets friendlier to non-vehicular modes of transportation.
• ✔ SR 99/SR 120 Interchange Project (FB/Caltrans District 10). As a proud SJCOG partner, Caltrans District 10 was happy to share in celebrating today’s ribbon cutting for the SR-99/120 Interchange Project, while contributing over $30 million to this significant effort to help ease congestion & increase motorist safety in San Joaquin County!
• ✔ Glendale approves L.A. River bridge to Griffith Park (Urbanize LA). Plans for another L.A. River crossing are moving forward, following a recent vote by the Glendale City Council. Earlier this month, the Glendale City Council voted to adopt the findings of an environmental study for the Glendale-Los Angeles Garden River Bridge Project. The new bridge will span across the river at the intersection of Flower Street and Fairmont Avenue to reach Griffith Park. The project is officially the second phase of Glendale’s Riverwalk, which spans one mile along the north side of the river between the intersection of Garden Street and Paula Avenue and the Verdugo Wash.
• ✔ State Route 168 Shaver Lake Viaduct Project (FB/Caltrans District 6). The Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in cooperation with Viking Construction, announces the following schedule update in part of the State Route 168 Shaver Lake Viaduct Project in Fresno County. The following will occur Thursday, June 25th:
• ＄✔ Sacramento agency plans to ease freeway traffic with bikes (Sacramento Bee). The Sacramento Area Council of Governments is expected to approve a Highway 50 corridor plan Thursday that includes 299 transportation projects, 63 of which are actual freeway projects and 99 of which are geared toward cyclists and pedestrians. Yes, they intentionally made bikes and other human-powered methods of getting around a major part of a plan that’s supposed to help freeway drivers. “It’s about a third of the total projects are bike and pedestrian projects,” said Dustin Foster, SACOG’s project manager for the U.S. 50 Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan. He and other planners ask themselves, “How do we reduce congestion … by increasing the availability and quality of non-driving options?”
• ✔ Intermittent State Route 20 Closures Scheduled this Season Bridge Construction at the Interstate 80 Junction (Caltrans). Caltrans is alerting motorists about the need for intermittent closures of eastbound State Route 20 (SR 20) for construction of the new bridge at the junction of Interstate 80 (I-80). The work is part of the $112 million Yuba Pass Separation Overhead Bridge Project. Eastbound SR 20 closures will take place intermittently during the summer and fall months. Exact dates and times are still to be determined, and motorists will be notified as soon as that information becomes available. The closures are needed for public safety during a variety of construction activities, including falsework installation and removal, crane mobilization and demobilization, and concrete pours. Crews will perform flagging operations along SR 20 at the I-80 junction, whenever possible, in an effort to keep the highway open.
• ＄✔ A vital California highway is sliding into the sea. A $2.5B tunnel would go around it (Los Angeles Times). There’s an eroding three-mile stretch of Highway 101 in California’s remote northwest corner that hugs fog-shrouded cliffs between the redwood forest and the Pacific Ocean. It is ominously named Last Chance Grade. And it is steadily sliding toward the sea. For decades, residents of rural Del Norte County have pleaded for government officials to do something about it. After many years of patching holes and building retaining walls, the California Department of Transportation is pursuing a long-term solution: a $2.5 billion tunnel through the redwood forest that would bypass the highway’s fast-eroding cliffs.
• ✔ CalTrans construction updates along State Routes 20 and 49 (The Union). Caltrans is reminding motorists of various lane closures in multiple locations along State Route 49 (SR 49) and State Route 20 (SR 20) as several projects continue in Placer and Nevada counties. Here is the breakdown for next week:
• ✔ NDOT and Caltrans work around Lake Tahoe continues (South Tahoe Now). The states of Nevada and California have released their list of coordinated construction projects around the Lake Tahoe Basin for 2026. In South Lake Tahoe, no lane-closing work is expected in the week ahead, except for pavement grinding on Friday near Stateline. There will be more nighttime work scheduled in South Lake Tahoe next week related to the safety and lighting project along US50.
• ✔ California Deer Already Using Wildlife Highway Crossing Before Construction Ends (People). California’s newest wildlife crossing is already attracting visitors, and construction isn’t even finished yet. Officials from Caltrans District 2 announced in a Facebook post that several wild animals have begun using a nearly completed wildlife overcrossing spanning State Route 97 in Siskiyou County, near the Oregon border. The first confirmed users were three mule deer, which researchers say successfully crossed the structure on May 24, hours after construction crews wrapped up work for the day. The crossing, which began construction in July 2025, is being monitored by roughly 100 cameras installed by researchers from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
• ✔ Overnight Closures of Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro (Caltrans). Caltrans (District 7) will implement overnight closures of westbound State Route 47 (SR-47) at Vincent Thomas Bridge between Ferry Street and Harbor Boulevard beginning Sunday night, June 21. Closures will occur nightly from 10:45 p.m. to 6:45 a.m., Sunday night through Friday morning. The westbound SR-47 on-ramp at Ferry Street will also be closed during these overnight closures. Construction activities include installing an under-deck shield and a work platform that will provide crews access to the bridge deck from multiple locations in advance of the full bridge closure scheduled for November 1, 2026. During the westbound overnight closures, traffic will be detoured via SR- 47 to Route 103 to Pacific Coast Highway to Route 110.
• ＄✔ Hwy 46 construction: Expect traffic near Hwy 41, Cholame Y (San Luis Obispo Tribune). Drivers will experience traffic delays for the next two weeks on a key stretch of Highway 46, according to Caltrans. During that time period, travelers in both directions will encounter one-way reversing traffic controls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the California Department of Transportation said in a June 12 news release. Crews are making “emergency embankment repairs,” Caltrans said. “Please allow extra time for your travels through the area,” the state roads agency said.
• ＄✔ Manteca interchange upgrades aid Stanislaus-bound drivers (Fresno Bee). Officials cut the ribbon Wednesday at the improved interchange of Highways 99 and 120 in Manteca. One key element could wait until late June: a second lane on the ramp between eastbound 120 and southbound 99. Drivers already can use the rest, including a fourth lane on a short stretch of 99 and a new Austin Road bridge over that freeway. The ramp lane still needs final paving and striping, with possible nighttime detours updated on the project website. The widening will be especially useful to commuters returning from Bay Area jobs to Stanislaus County homes.
• ＄✔ Pismo Beach CA to gain local control of stretch of Highway 1 (San Luis Obispo Tribune). A stretch of California’s iconic Highway 1 through Pismo Beach will soon have a new owner. On Tuesday, the Pismo Beach City Council received one last overview of a relinquishment agreement that would see the city gain control of a 2.15-mile stretch of Highway 1 that runs between the Monarch Butterfly Grove and Mattie Road, and gave the green light to send the final agreement to Caltrans and the California Transportation Committee. The idea of Caltrans relinquishing control of Highway 1 through Pismo Beach dates back to 2017, when then-city manager Jim Lewis sent a letter of intent to the state agency.
• ✔ Environmental study plans to spend $2M to consider 10 Freeway removal (California Post). A Southern California city is facing backlash after it accepted a $2 million grant to study whether a major stretch of the 10 should be covered with a giant park — or eventually ripped out altogether. The Santa Monica City Council recently approved a resolution allowing officials to study ways to reconnect neighborhoods divided by the 10 freeway, citing the need to address “historical harm” and “environmental hazards,” according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. The study will focus on the freeway’s impact on the city’s historically Black Pico Neighborhood and residents whose homes were displaced when the roadway was built.
• ✔ Temporary pedestrian bridge offers visitors a new way to access Santa Monica Pier businesses and attractions (Santa Monica/🎩 Plutonic Panda). Visitors can now access the Santa Monica Pier from a new perspective, with the opening of a temporary pedestrian bridge that will serve as the primary entrance to the historic Pier for the remaining duration of the Pier Bridge Replacement Project. The temporary bridge is located about 30 feet south of the original pedestrian access point and will keep the Pier and its businesses and attractions fully accessible throughout the replacement project, which is slated to conclude in late 2027. Beyond just providing access to the Pier, the temporary bridge boasts a fun and colorful arrival experience. It features eye-catching artwork, wayfinding elements to help visitors explore different parts of the Pier, and spotlights on local businesses and restaurants.
• ✔ Crumbling roads, traffic cost Bay Area drivers thousands annually (NBC Bay Area). Crumbling roads and heavy traffic congestion are costing Bay Area motorists thousands of dollars annually in vehicle repairs, wasted fuel and lost time, according to a report released Thursday by a national transportation research nonprofit. The study, conducted by Washington, D.C.-based TRIP, found that deficient roads and traffic delays cost the average Bay Area driver more than $4,600 each year. In the San Jose metropolitan area, those annual costs average nearly $3,300 per motorist. The report highlights growing concerns over how California will maintain its infrastructure as traditional funding streams begin to dry up.
• ✔ After more than a decade of planning, Glendale has finally approved a $31M L.A. River bridge to Griffith Park — spanning 320 feet and opening by 2031 (Secret Los Angeles). From new transit projects to revitalized public spaces, Los Angeles continues to reshape its urban landscape. Now, one long-planned project along the Los Angeles River has reached a major milestone as the Glendale-Los Angeles Garden River Bridge Project is officially moving forward. After the Glendale City Council voted to adopt the findings of its environmental study earlier this month, the approval cleared the way for the project’s design team to advance final  plans, specifications, and cost estimates before construction can begin, as reported by Urbanize LA.
• Manteca Highway 99-120 interchange project opens, easing traffic at longtime bottleneck (Local News Matters). Life is a little easier for truckers, commuters and other drivers who navigate the interchange between state routes 99 and 120 in Manteca. The two-year, $50 million construction project to unsnarl connections between the two major thoroughfares is complete. The project — overseen by the San Joaquin Council of Governments, the consortium of eight cities nestled around Stockton — is being hailed as a bureaucratic victory as well. Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi, who chairs SJCOG, cut the ribbon last week at a ceremony to dedicate the new connectors.
• MTC/ABAG award $8 million for environmental and community projects (The Bay Link Blog). The Metropolitan Transportation Commission this week awarded $8 million to 16 Bay Area projects through the Priority Conservation Area (PCA) Grant Program. These grants support the goals of Plan Bay Area, the region’s long-range plan for housing, the economy, transportation, and the environment. The PCA Grant Program is a key tool used by MTC and ABAG to protect and enhance natural and agricultural lands, expand public access to open space, and invest in climate resilience and community-driven environmental stewardship. The 2026 awardees reflect a diverse mix of planning, restoration, acquisition, and access projects across all nine Bay Area counties.
• ＄ Napa drivers can opine on Highway 29 intersection options (Napa Valley Register). Three congestion-easing fixes are on the table for the Highway 29/Highway12/Airport Boulevard intersection south of Napa, and transportation officials want to hear from drivers. This signalized intersection is one of Napa County’s worst traffic chokepoints. By August, transportation officials could choose a design to try to solve the problem. But first, they want to hear from you. People can go to the Napa Valley Transportation Authority website at nvta.ca.gov and look under “Planning and Projects” for the Highway29/Highway12/Airport Boulevard project to voice their opinions.
• ＄ Tech billionaires hire insiders to fast-track Bay Area city plan (Los Angeles Times). California Forever, the tech billionaire-backed group that hopes to build a city from scratch on farmland in the outer San Francisco Bay Area, is lobbying state leaders to fast-track a massive shipbuilding deal that would kick-start its development after years of local opposition. The billionaires behind the project are seeking a deal to expedite environmental reviews of the development and, if necessary, bypass county restrictions on building by being absorbed into Suisun City boundaries. They’ve hired former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg — Democratic architects of landmark environmental laws — to make their case, and are using the prospect of luring a major shipbuilder to California to accelerate the dealmaking. California Forever has pursued its project for nearly a decade, though the vision has shifted: At first pitched as a walkable city with cottages, bike lanes and even a water park, the plan then added a major shipbuilding operation and, last summer, a significant manufacturing hub.
• As Route 66 turns 100, what is it that we’re actually celebrating? (The Conversation). Working in concert, the American Association of State Highway Officials and the Bureau of Public Roads adopted a uniform highway numbering system and corresponding map on November 11, 1926. The numbering system and map replaced the confusing patchwork of highways and trails, like the Lincoln Highway or the Old Trails Road, with an official network of numbered highways sanctioned by federal and state highway authorities. Since then, a small group of these highways have attained the status of cultural icon. There’s Route 1, which snakes all the way from Maine to Florida. Route 101 is celebrated for its majestic views of the Pacific Ocean, while Route 6 was immortalized in “On the Road,” Jack Kerouac’s classic novel. The most famous, though, is arguably Route 66, nicknamed the “Main Street of America” and the “Mother Road.” Yet as the towns that dot the highway prepare to celebrate its centennial, I’ve found myself wondering what it is, exactly, that’s being celebrated.
• ＄ When will California’s leg of Route 66 be fully drivable again? (Daily Breeze). Q: Dennis Musolff shared his thoughts – and disappointment – on the state of Route 66 as California celebrates the centennial of the “Mother Road” this year. “As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 this year, it is disappointing to see that one of its most legendary stretches in the Mojave Desert remains a broken promise,” said Musolff, who lives in Harbor City, in Los Angeles County. The National Trails Highway from Amboy to Highway 40 “has been plagued by bridge closures for nearly a decade. While the state and local tourism boards are busy promoting the ‘nostalgia’ of the Mother Road, local drivers and travelers are met with ‘Road Closed’ signs and lengthy detours,” Musolff said. “It seems incredible that in 2026, the government cannot manage the repair of a simple two-lane blacktop road. We are told the delays are due to bidding issues and funding gaps, yet the 100-year milestone was no surprise — it has been on the calendar for a century.”
• US 101 Hopland ADA Project (FB/Caltrans District 1). 🚧 TRAFFIC ALERT FOR U.S. 101 HOPLAND TRAVELERS: Starting Tuesday, July 7, construction will begin on the Hopland ADA project along U.S. 101 in Mendocino County. Motorists should anticipate up to 10-minute delays from the Feliz Creek Bridge to north of First Street, during overnight hours from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Posted speed limits will be reduced to 25 mph during construction and motorists are asked to drive with caution in the work zone. The project will operate on a continuous schedule, running 24 hours per day from Sunday at 8 p.m. through Friday at 7 p.m. This approach is intended to reduce the project timeline and enhance safety for both workers and the traveling public.
• Pedestrian Bridge Planned to Connect George Wolfberg Park and Will Rogers Beach (Palisades News). The proposed bridge would allow people to cross the busy highway safely, reducing conflicts between vehicles and non-motorized users. The City of Los Angeles is moving forward with plans to build a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge across Pacific Coast Highway to connect George Wolfberg Park with Will Rogers State Beach. The Potrero Canyon Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge Project aims to improve safety and accessibility for residents and visitors while enhancing connectivity between popular recreational areas along the coast, according to the Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering.
• US 101 Eureka-Arcata Comprehensive Adaptation and Implementation Plan (CAIP) (FB/Caltrans District 1). SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS TODAY: Caltrans District 1 is seeking public input on the Comprehensive Adaptation and Implementation Plan (CAIP) for the U.S. 101 Eureka-Arcata Corridor. The long-term plan outlines strategies to help protect this vital six-mile stretch of highway from climate-related risks including sea level rise, flooding, coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion.
• Solvang exploring taking full responsibility for State Route 246/Mission Drive through city (Santa Maria Times). Solvang is exploring the feasibility of taking full responsibility for State Route 246/Mission Drive, removing roadblocks to improving the main corridor through the city. On Monday, Council members unanimously voted to initiate the State Route 246/Mission Drive relinquishment process with CalTrans. The three- to nine-year process begins with a letter of interest requesting the state consider relinquishing the property including liability, maintenance and control. “This comes up because Mission Drive is the city’s main street, but the city doesn’t control it,” said Assistant to the City Manager Olivia Uribe-Mutal.
• Overnight and Daytime Work Continues on State Route 183/Merritt Street in Castroville (Caltrans). Construction continues on a major rehabilitation of State Route 183 (Merritt Street) in Castroville to enhance multimodal travel. This phase of work will result in daytime sidewalk, curb and gutter, driveways, ADA curb ramps and roadway work. Travelers are encouraged to follow directions provided by construction and traffic signs within and around the construction areas and to be alert for highway worker and equipment in this work zone. One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open for travelers on SR 183. Saw cutting, demolition of existing sidewalks, curb and gutter, installing underground irrigation and utility boxes along the southbound lane will continue next week. The placement of concrete for new sidewalks, curb and gutters, and ADA ramps will continue.
• Rock Removal Work Near Fall River Mills Wrapping Up on Highway 299 (Sierra Daily News). Travel State Route 299 through the Pit One Grade area west of Fall River Mills should see some relief from major delays later this week. Crews working on the Pit One Grade Rockfall Mitigation Project are finishing operations to remove large boulders and improve safety along the highway. According to Caltrans, the rock removal work is expected to be completed Thursday, June 25. Once that work is finished, the current delays of up to 89 minutes will come to an end. However, officials say you should still expect short delays of up to about 13 minutes while the remaining project work continues. The project is aimed at reducing rockfall hazards and improving safety for drivers traveling this important route, which connects communities in northeastern California and serves as a major corridor for residents, commuters, and visitors.
• Topanga Canyon Boulevard/State Route 27 Palisades Fire Repairs (Caltrans). The 3.6-mile stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard/State Route 27 (SR-27) from Pacific Coast Highway to just south of Grand View Drive remains an active work zone. As of March 2, 2026, crews restored daytime travel hours for motorists. On May 12, 2026, crews restored overnight travel hours. It is now open, with traffic restrictions, 24 hours a day. The following traffic control restrictions are in place for crews to complete recovery work:
• Overnight road closures on Highway 217 begin on Monday night (KSBY). Drivers passing through Goleta face overnight closures on Highway 217 starting on Monday at 10 p.m. Officials say Caltrans crews will shut down roads in both directions between Hollister Avenue and Sandspit Road. The road will reopen every morning at 6 p.m. During the closures, workers will be paving the road for the San Jose Creek Bridge replacement project. Detour signs will guide drivers through the area.
• Construction of world’s largest wildlife crossing nears next major milestone (KTLA). Progress on the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in northwest Los Angeles County is accelerating, and another major piece of the puzzle is about to come together. The main section of the $114 million bridge over the freeway has been largely completed for months. Now, the focus is on the south section over Agoura Road and connecting both sides seamlessly to the surrounding landscape. The public can watch the work in real time through a series of live webcams on the project’s official website.

Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer)

• ✔ Las Pilitas Road. Las Pilitas Road is an approximately 7-mile rural highway located in the La Panza Range of San Luis Obispo County. This corridor begins at Pozo Road (former California State Route 178) and crosses the Salinas River. From the Salinas River the roadway continues eastward following Pilitas Creek to a terminus at Park Hill Road.
• ✔ The weird Main Street of Fresno. Downtown Fresno until the 20th century never had a street signed as a “Main Street.” Traditionally the downtown grid was signed with lettered north/south streets and east/west streets named after the California counties. This changed in 2002 when Civic Center Square was completed between the blocks of Tulare Street, O Street, Inyo Street and N Street. The 220-foot-long street branching west of O Street to the N Street Parking Pavillion was approved by the city council as Fresno’s first and current “Main Street.” This blog serves not only examine how Main Street came to be but also how the original downtown Fresno street grid was plotted by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1872.
• ✔ The James Dean Memorial Junction interchange (California State Routes 41 and 46). The James Dean Memorial Junction interchange structure opened during June 2025 as a grade separation between California State Routes 41 and 46 in Cholame Valley. This interchange structure is located a short distance eastward from the infamous 1955 crash site which took the life of actor and racecar driver James Dean. The crash site was once a Y-junction between US Route 466 and California State Route 41 which was reconfigured in 1959. This blog will examine the history of the highway junction in Cholame Valley from stage route times through the US Route 466-era and into construction period of the current interchange.
• ✔ The Tale of Tollhouse Road, western California State Route 168 and failed Piute Pass Highway. Western California State Route 168 is entirely located in Fresno County and is linked historically to the Tollhouse Road corridor. Tollhouse Road is one of the oldest highways in the Sierra Nevada range of Fresno County. The corridor presently begins in at Clovis Avenue in downtown Clovis and extends northeast to Huntington Lake.
• ✔ Huer Huero Road. Huer Huero Road is a 6-mile rural highway corridor located southeast of Creston in the La Panza Range. This corridor begins at Parkhill Road and follows Middle Fork Huer Huero Creek to California State Route 58.
• ✔ Santa Rita Road (San Luis Obispo County). Santa Rita Road is approximately 15.4-mile rural highway located in the Santa Lucia Mountains of San Luis Obispo County. This corridor begins in Templeton at Templeton Hills Road and becomes a dirt surfaced roadway upon departing the city westbound. Santa Rita Road is carried over the Santa Lucia Mountains via an unnamed pass and terminates at Old Creek Road near Cayucos.
• ✔ Shell Creek Road. Shell Creek Road is an 11-mile rural highway corridor located in the La Panza Range of eastern San Luis Obispo County. This highway corridor originates at California State Route 58 (Carissa Highway) and largely follow Camatta Canyon north to San Juan Road. Shell Creek Road has significant ties historically back to Rancho San Juan Capistrano del Camote and modern San Juan Ranch. The highway largely is known for large super blooms in Spring seasons following significant wet weather.
• ✔ Prefumo Canyon Road. Prefumo Canyon Road is an approximately 7.1-mile rural highway corridor mostly located in the Irish Hills west of the city of San Luis Obispo. The Prefumo Canyon Road corridor begins at Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo and crosses the Irish Hills to a terminus located at See Canyon Road. Prefumo Canyon Road is named after wealthy San Luis Obispo businessman Pietro Prefumo and has been in active use since the 1880s. The highway is frequently touted as one of the most scenic in San Luis Obispo County as it has numerous vistas of Morro Bay and Los Osos Valley.
• ✔ See Canyon Road. See Canyon Road is a six-mile rural highway located in the Irish Hills in San Luis Obispo County. The northern terminus of See Canyon Road is located at Prefumo Canyon Road whereas the southern terminus is at San Luis Bay Drive. See Canyon is named after Kentucky settler Joseph See who homesteaded in the area circa 1860. See Canyon since 1916 has become associated with apple orchards as the coastal weather is conducive for growing them.
• ✔ Pyramid HIlls Road. Pyramid Hills Road is a five-mile rural highway located in the namesake Pyramid Hills of Kings County. Pyramid Hills Road begins at York Avenue near the former Lemoore Road stage station of Dudley and terminates to the east at California State Route 33 in the Kettleman Plains.
• Avila Beach Drive. Avila Beach Drive is an approximately 4.5-mile highway in San Luis Obispo County which connects US Route 101 to Port San Luis. This roadway initially developed east of San Luis Obispo Creek in 1869 at the end of a tram line connecting Port Harford (now Port San Luis) to Avila Beach. The western half of Avila Beach Drive is built atop the former Pacific Coast Railway grade which went defunct in 1941. The current bridge over San Luis Obispo Creek connecting Avila Beach Drive to Port San Luis was constructed in 1967. The roadway was modernized to facilitate roadway access to the port facilities on San Luis Bay and the nuclear power plant facility at Diablo Canyon.
• Santa Fe County Road (Fresno County). Santa Fe County Road near Mendota in Fresno County is an approximately 4-mile rural roadway built on a repurposed railroad grade. Santa Fe Grade Road begins at Jefferson Avenue and continues northwest to San Benito Avenue. The grade was constructed by the San Francisco & San Joaquin Railroad during the 1880s but was found to be consistently flood prone. The grade was later sold to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1898 which later abandoned it to Fresno County.
• California State Route 12 and the terminus of El Camino Real in Sonoma. The city of Sonoma historically has been the terminus of the American Auto Trail known as El Camino Real. The Auto Trail since 1906 has terminated at Mission San Francisco Solano at the intersection of 1st Street East and Spain Street. Since August 1934, the city has been served by California State Route 12. California State Route 12 since being designated has always used Sonoma Highway, Napa Street and Broadway to traverse the downtown area. The California Highway Commission adopted a 13.8-mile-long freeway bypass in 1962 which had Kenwood and Schellville as terminus points.